I wasn't using tripod i just placed my camera on a flat surface and tried it, also I used my 18-55 kit lens.

Quote:

I typically take 9 photos from -2 to +2 EV at 0.5 EV increments.

what do you mean from -2 to +2? you meant you start @-2 please can you explain this bit a little bit more. when taking HDR 3 exposure brackets should be used, right? I remembered that I put my exposure from 0, -1 to +1

Yeah, at the least you should take 3 exposures... from what you've said, you took -1, 0, and +2.

Typically I take 9 exposures:
-2, -1.5, -1, -.5, 0, .5, 1, 1.5, 2

Mind you, my camera has a bracketing function, as does yours I believe. But I think yours is setup for 3 exposures, where mine can do 3 to 9 exposures. It would take more time to do this manually but play around with it. I think the photographer the link I sent you only does 3 as well and you can see that his work is great. I just feel like the more exposures you have the more filled in the HDR is.

As a hint for your HDR settings, to get a picture to look more like a painting, increase the value of your luminosity. Looks to be here that you have this set on its highest value.